title: D-penicillamine-induced increase in intracellular glutathione correlating to clinical response in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Measurement of glutathione (GSH) in consecutive blood samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) revealed, in good responders to D-penicillamine, a 20% to 35% increase in erythrocyte-GSH (E-GSH) levels after 2 to 8 wk of treatment. Usually this rise predicted a clinical response some wk later. Nonresponders to D-penicillamine who did not show an increase in E-GSH could be converted to responders by receiving L-cysteine. E-GSH rose--prior to the clinical response--by up to 50% of pretreatment values. In RA patients with spontaneous changes in disease activity, E-GSH tended to decrease during relapses and increase before remissions.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000187:drug effects*; D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003545:Cysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000187:drug effects*; D007978:Levamisole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013386:Succinates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013870:Thiomalates
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D013386:Succinates; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013870:Thiomalates; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate; D002699:Chlorambucil; D007978:Levamisole; C046062:2-thiomalic acid; D005978:Glutathione; D010396:Penicillamine; D003545:Cysteine